Razer vs. The Rest: May the Best Phone Win

Last year, Razer surprised the world by releasing its first smartphone – and it was a handset aimed specifically at mobile gamers. Its specifications were not very different from the rest of the flagship phones available – it comes with an octa-core Snapdragon 835 paired with an Adreno 540 GPU, a massive 4,000 mAh battery, and 8GB of RAM (well, that WAS a bit unusual). While the phone wasn’t ideal for everyday use (although the reviews do say that it is doing just fine), it is considered by many the perfect choice for those with gaming as their main priority. It is the perfect piece of equipment for those who want to go beyond word games, puzzles, and Gaming Club online roulette. Still, it is a tough sell, considering how many brands with good-sounding names are available in the market for a comparable price.

This doesn’t mean, in turn, that gaming phones are not becoming a thing. Manufacturers like ZTE and Xiaomi are following this new trend, releasing their own take on gaming-centered handsets, and both models will come with the new and improved Snapdragon 845 SoC. It seems that Razer has started a trend with its gamer-focused smartphone and others seem to follow suit.

What makes the Razer Phone special – aside from its 8GB of RAM, of course? Well, let’s see: it has a pair of front-facing stereo speakers, something other phone manufacturers haven’t thought about, and an amazing 120Hz LCD screen that makes it perfect for gaming. Its screen is absolutely amazing – it is Sharp IGZO 5.7-inch QHD (1440 x 2560) IPS edge-to-edge display that delivers bright colors and insanely fast action to its users. But most importantly, there’s the fact that Razer works with game developers to deliver custom themes that the gamers can download and use on their phones – it’s a small thing but it matters for a true fan.

Xiaomi’s upcoming gaming handset will have some advantages over the Razer Phone that will also make it fit in better with the other flagships currently on the market – it will have a dual camera, for example, and a 20-megapixel selfie camera, not to mention a friendlier price. Will Razer’s handset stand up to the competition, especially in the fast-changing world of mobile hardware? Well, I guess we’ll see.

But Razer still has a trump up its sleeve (provided it decides to turn it into an actual product): Project Linda, a laptop shell built to turn the Razer Phone into a 13.3″ laptop. Rumors speak of Razer planning to release an updated version of the Razer Phone, perhaps with Qualcomm’s new SoC powering its competitors, and hardware updates to make it compatible with Linda. And there are other rumors saying that Razer might announce the Razer Phone 2 and Linda in September, at the IFA Conference, and release it in time for the holiday shopping season.